Category: September 2011 (Authenticity)

Dirty Laundry

On By femmefuelIn FemmeBytes by Sasha Katz, September 2011 (Authenticity)1 Comment

By AbbyA

Authenticity.  I am thinking about looking into someone’s eyes.  Rather simple.  We do it in conversation.  Over dinner.  The eyes are a window into the inner thoughts and soul of a person.

There are some eyes that have the gift of seeing the inside of you just by looking briefly into your own eyes.  You know this person, this gift, because even if you know them  – – surfacely – – even if they are an acquaintance – – when they look at you and you at them, you have to choose.

At that glancing moment, you can look away or look back.  If you look back, you have given them a window of opportunity.  They will see into your heartstrings.  The thoughts and feelings that you hold below the surface will be told to them through the language of the eyes.  But, if you look away, they will have known anyway that you have hidden within yourself your authenticity.

Your authenticity.  It is so easy to slant it.  Stuff it.  Perform it.  Deny it.  Look away and pretend that your heartstrings are playing to a happy song.  So easy to pretend that your inner thoughts are in complete harmony with your outer appearance.

Your authenticity.  It is your greatest mark of your individualism.  Your unique blueprint.  The greatest evidence of our Sovereign God.  And, we, in our great wisdom, decide to mask it, hide it, run from it.  Stuff it, slant it.  Deny it and perform it.

I know why.  We all know why.  There is a part of ourselves that is like a dryer.  It spins around – – sometimes you find a sock of shame.  Dirty underwear.  Embarrassing stains and soils.  Undergarments that make us feel self-conscious.  Rips and tears that show our age and maturity.  Tags that reveal both wealth and size.  We’ve all got our laundry spinning around in the dryer.

Authenticity.  It’s spinning.  No one knows, after the cycle, what will show up missing or later found.  No one really feels like hanging shirts or sorting socks.  No one likes wrinkles or pink-whites or crayon stains.  But we’ve all got it spinning in the dryer.

Authenticity.  You’ve got a Maker and a friend.  The Maker already knows your imperfections and your friend has some version of your own dirty laundry anyway.  Why not take a chance on the real you?  Why not take a chance with the one version of you that God felt so strongly about, so lovingly about, that He stamped you into time.  Authenticity, why not?

Unmask Yourself

On By femmefuelIn September 2011 (Authenticity)Leave a comment

By Bindu Adai-Mathew

Authenticity. It is something we instinctively seek in others, but it’s something we may struggle with in our own lives. For authenticity, while quite desirable, comes at a high price. It requires openness…transparency…vulnerability.  Words that make even the most extroverted of people shudder.

For being authentic may sometimes require us to admit characteristics, flaws, feelings that we are not quite ready to “own up to.” Or it may require admitting to mistakes, past decisions, etc. that we’re not quite ready to share.

Authenticity sometimes invites judgment, criticism, and, alas, even gossip…something we’re all reluctant to hear about ourselves.

During the month of September, FemmeFuel will tear open the veil that we often use to cover the most secret part of ourselves. We will explore the fears, anxiety as well as the benefits and growth that come with striving to be our most authentic selves. During Week 1, we will delve into how we can be more authentic with God and how often He can use our circumstances and struggles to reveal our true nature to ourselves, holding up our flaws to us like a mirror. During Week 2, we will delve into how we can be more authentic with ourselves, and Week 3 will focus on how we can also strive to be more authentic in church or our Christian community. During Week 4, we will wrap up the topic by how we can be more relate-able as Christians to our non-Christian community of co-workers, friends, and/or family. How can we share the love and truth of Christ without coming off “holier than thou”? How can we stop hiding behind the veneer of religion and demonstrate the honest love of Christ?

So join us this month as we seek to unmask our innermost selves and strive to become our most authentic selves.